Early English immersion in Xi’an, China: An experiment in English language teaching

This article will integrate the four articles in this issue, from the standpoint of understanding the principles and the realities of the Early English Immersion programs in Xi’an China. In addition to reviewing various aspects of the program, future directions will be discussed. The early English immersion program began in 1997 in Xi’an China but the roots of it started more than 40 years ago in Canada. Canada has two official languages, English and French but most areas of this vast country are either predominantly French speaking or predominantly English speaking. French is the first language of a smaller percentage of the population than English but most Canadians want to be bilingual. More that 40 years ago, English speaking parents and teachers in Montreal decided that the students were not really learning to speak French in the traditional model of teaching so they pioneered an educational reform, called French Immersion, in which English speaking children were educated in French from the beginning of their school career. The results of this educational reform have been quite successful and children, who participate in French Immersion programs learn to speak, read and write French. Most never become truly bilingual but they acquire fluency and are quite comfortable speaking French.